SECRETARY'S REPORT. 87 



opportunity to tliiii out all tlie superabundant trees, leaving no 

 more to grow than sufficient to make a thrifty full-grown wood 

 lot. An observation of years has already shown that this is a 

 wrong policy, and established the fact that nature provides her 

 own remedy for this excess, and applies it in the most successful 

 and advantageous manner. When trees stand thick together, 

 they can grow only m one direction, right straight upwards ; 

 which is the direction we all like to have a timber tree grow. 



The limbs as they become shaded, die off, and as the more 

 ■vigorous shoots overtop the weaker ones, they gradually die out 

 and this process goes on, till no more trees are left than can 

 successfully grow on the ground. 



The soil in the mean time is kept shaded and moist, and tlie 

 dead branches and leaves fall down and decay, making the 

 proper manure for the trees, thus securing the most rapid and 

 healthy growth, height and erectncss of the timber. 



The opposite policy produces an opposite result ; by thinning 

 out the trees, the lateral growth of the limbs and tlie trees 

 have a tendency to grow in the shape of a pasture oak. The 

 ground becomes hard and dry, the decayed leaves will be blown 

 away from the roots of the trees ; the sun and wind harden 

 the bodies of the trees, and they become stunted, dwarfed, and 

 prematurely decay. 



Striking instances of this have come under our observation, 

 when the same lot of young wood was divided by a sale to 

 different men, and the let-alone policy adopted on one part and 

 the thinning and trimming out on tlie other. Twenty years 

 made a difference of nearly one-half in favor of the former. 

 Let the young wood lots alone. Keep out the cattle, and do 

 not feel that you are suffering loss because you see a few 

 decayed trees that might furnish fuel if taken out ; the damage 

 done by the teams and by the effects suggested above, will more 

 than equal the value of the little supplies you will add to your 

 wood-pile. 



These suggestions are the result of observation, now some- 

 what protracted. 



There is a great want of economy in the cutting, preparing 

 and burning wood for fuel. In some parts of the Common- 

 wealth peat is burned, and in the cities and towns coal has 



